Oscillatory movement for looms



Feb. 14, 1939. D. C. CHURCHILL OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Allis ATTORNEY.

Feb. 14, 1939. b HUR HILL 2,147,483

OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 8, 1938 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DAVID E. CHURCHILL.

FlJG. W M

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 25 Claims.

This invention relates to textile looms and particularly to looms of the foot and hand operated class.

The aforementioned type looms embody three primary weaving movements such as the beating, shedding and picking movement, together with mechanism effecting these movements in timed relation. These movements are usually effected, as in standard power looms, by employing two shafts operably interconnected together with the necessary mechanism, such as cams, connecting rods, and the like to effect the aforementioned movements in proper correlation. The shafts are usually geared together which causes considerablefriction in itself apart from the friction caused by the aforementioned cams, connecting rods and the like.

The pick, in order to be driven alternately, from one side of the loom to the other, has to be powered from the slow or half time shaft. In-

asmuch as effecting the picking operation from a cam in any fly shuttle loom has to be sudden, the cam face has to be relatively steep resulting in considerable wear and the noise and shock after the pick is effected is hard to control. This results in providing a much steeperpicking cam in order to achieve the required quick drive than would be necessary if the picking cam were operable from the faster operating or quick running shaft.

Also, it is desirable to give as much dwell as possible or to provide more time at the front position of the loom beater than at the back position relative to the total time involved in effecting a back and forth movement of the beater.

I have devised a single oscillating shaft which effects the three primary weaving movements such as beating, shedding and picking with a lesser number of parts and a reduction in friction through elimination of one of the rotating shafts, together with the supporting bearing and gears. I also provide an energy storage mechanism, such as a common fly wheel wherein a relatively heavy fly wheel mechanism may be controlled in the same manner as the hair spring of a watch controls the balance wheel of a watch, although the latter weighs but a few grains. I find that by providing an oscillating shaft that the dwellperiod is relatively increased providing a relatively longer time, at a given loom. speed, for the shuttle to cross in. The beat-up period is relatively reduced which means a better whack in efiecting the beat-up operation.

Since the oscillating shaft at the time the pick is effected is traveling relatively fast, the pickup cam may be made less steep or more sloping permitting the cam roller to have a smooth action and remain continuously in contact with the cam surface whereas in having to leave the cam surface at the end of a pick and again con- 5 tact the cam after an uncertain interval before the next pick would result in shock and wear.

A hand loom provided with an oscillating shaft permits a comparatively simple method to be employed for attaching pedals assisting in driv- 10 ing the loom by the feet with relatively little friction.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to provide an improved mechanism by which the primary weaving movements of a loom may be 15 effected with the minimum of applied power with a pre-determined rhythmical motion whereby the loom may be operated with a minimum of fatigue to the weaver and at the same time with a maximum speed. 20

Another object of my invention is to provide a storage mechanism including a fly wheel for a loom whereby part of the energy applied to move the beater in each reciprocatory direction may be temporarily stored up and released to 25 help move the beater in the opposite direction.

To provide a reciprocatory mechanism having a pre-determined natural periodicity for timing in an approved manner the reciprocatory movements of a loom beater. 30

Another object of my invention is to provide approved mechanism including a power operated oscillatable shaft for controlling and correlating any or all of the movements of a hand loom.

Other objects are: 35

To provide an improved beater control for looms so arranged that the weaver at the loom, in order to reciprocate the beater, supplies periodic impulses of force to an oscillatable energy storage mechanism having a pre-determined 0 natural periodicity of oscillation, the mechanism being connected to the heater to reciprocate it and timing the periodic force impulses supplied by the weaver.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains.

My invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 50

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side sectional fragmentary view 55 taken from the plane 33 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively fragmentary sectional views taken from the planes 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views corresponding to Fig. 3 and illustrating successive positions of the parts in the operation thereof to illustrate a principle of the mechanism;

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views corresponding respectively to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrating diagrammatically another part of the mechanism;

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are diagrammatic views corresponding respectively to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 or Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrating diagrammatically another part of the mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to a part of Fig. 3 illustrating a modification;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification;

Fig. 17 is a View similar to a part of Figs. 2 and 3 illustrating a modification.

Referring now to the drawings, I have shown generally at I, Figs. 1 and 2, the frame of a loom comprising horizontal, forwardly and rearwardly extending elements 22 on each side thereof and cross elements 3 and 4 supporting forwardly and rearwardly extending side elements 55 above the elements 22. A center piece 6 extends forwardly and rearwardly supported by the cross elements 3 and 4. Side uprights are mounted on the side elements 22. A tie member I connects the upper ends of the side uprights Illustrated generally at 8 is a beater comprising a shuttle race 9 and side beater members ||l| hinged at their lower ends to a crossbar supported on the side elements 22. The upper end of the beater is thus mounted to reciprocate forwardly and rearwardly in the usual manner to beat the fell. Since this invention relates pri-- marily to the movement of the beater, the warp, warp beam, cloth beam, fell, etc., and the mechanism for rotating the cloth beam to maintain the fell at substantially a constant position, etc., are not shown, such parts being well understood in this art.

Upon the upper side of elements -5 is rotatably mounted, in bearings |2|2 secured to the side elements, a main shaft l3. A pair of flywheels |4|4 are mounted on opposite ends of the shaft l3 preferably by the following means. The end of the shaft is clamped between a part of the wheel and a block l5 by bolts Iii-I6.

A pillow block I1 is secured to the block |5 by the same bolts |6-|6 through which the bolts extend and on the pillow block is a bearing I8.

Connecting rods |9-|9 connect the beater 8 to the fly wheels, the connection at the fly wheel end being made at the bearing I8 and the connection at the beater end being made at a bearing 2|] on the beater side members Ifl-lfl. By this construction as will be apparent, when the fly wheels |4'|4 are oscillated in a manner to be described, the heater 8 will be reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly by the connecting rods |9|9.

Also, the stroke of the beater for any given angular movement of the fly wheel l4 may be adjustably varied by varying the thickness of the block IS. The means for oscillating the shaft I3 and fly wheels I i-I4 will now be described.

Secured to the shaft l3 are drums 2| and 22 which may comprise two similar pieces 23-23 clamped upon opposite sides of the shaft l3 by bolts 24, the head and nut of the bolt being seated below the cylindrical surface of the drum in suitable recesses. Although for illustration I have shown drums constructed and secured to the shaft as described, it is understood that any suitable drum construction may be used and that the drums may be rigidly secured to the shaft in various well known ways.

Straps 25 and 26 are partly wound around the drums and secured thereto, for example, by a screw or the like 2"! as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 1. The free end of the strap 25 is secured to the inner end of a pedal lever 28 and the free end of the strap 26 is connected to the end of a similar pedal lever 29.

The levers 28 and 29 extend forwardly and at their forward ends project from the frame and have pedals 30 and 3| respectively thereon. At their middle portions each lever 28 and 29 is secured by bolts 32-32 to a block 33 having each a ball bearing 34 therein, the inner raceway of which is press fitted upon opposite ends of a pin 35 driven through the center piece 6 and extending from opposite sides thereof.

The levers 28 and 29 are fulcrumed about a common axis and at a point spaced from the pedals 30 and 3| to require relatively little effort on the part of the operator. Inasmuch as the levers are both connected with shaft l3 through straps 25 and 26 the downward movement of one pedal acts in the upward movement of the other pedal so that the operator is largely relieved of propulsion effort.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the strap 25 is wound around the under side of its drum 2| and the strap 26 is wound around the upper side of its drum 22. Preferably duplicate straps 25 and 26 are utilized to insure against accident in case one strap or the other should break.

As will now be apparent from the description thus far, when the pedal 30 is depressed, the shaft l3 and fly wheels |4-|4 will be given a counter-clockwise oscillatory motion as viewed in Fig. 2 and when the pedal 3| is depressed will be given a clockwise oscillatory motion and these oscillatory movements will be communicated to the beater 8 to reciprocate it. By means now to be described, this movement is rendered rythmical at a predetermined periodicity and a part of the energy applied to each pedal 30 or 3| to oscillate the fly wheels |4-|4' in one direction is stored up and applied to bring it to rest and start it on an oscillation in the other direction whereby, only impulses of .movement need be applied to the pedals 30 and 3| and immediately prior to the moment of applying an impulse to each pedal, the pedal is raised against the pressure of the weavers foot to the point at which he applies the pressure and thus the entire movement is made natural, periodic and rythmical and the minimum of fatigue of the Weaver results together with the maximum of speed. To dispose the pedals 39 and 3| convenient to the feet of the weaver, a seat 36 is provided supported on a standard 31 connected at its inner end by a bolt 38 to the center piece 6 and resting forwardly thereof on the cross element 4 and secured thereto by a bolt 39.

At the middle portion of the shaft |3 between the drums 2| and 22 it is divided as shown generally at 40 providing side portions 4|4| parallel to the shaft l3 and preferably generally cylindrical as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and connecting end portions 42-42 joined to the shaft and supporting the opposite ends of the side portions 4|-4|. It is understood that any suitable construction may be employed for the central part of the shaft to provide two abutments spaced from the shaft axis.

A plurality of flexible strips 43-43 extend through the divided shaft portion 4|] and at opposite ends thereof each strip 43 is connected to springs 44-44, the opposite ends of the springs being connected to an upright flange 45 of a piece of angle section metal 46, the other flange 41 of which is mounted upon and secured to the center piece 6. The strips 43, by this means are maintained under resilient tension. Any suitable means may be provided to adjust the tension of the springs 44-44 to subject the strip 43-43 to the desired tension and to insure that they all have the same tension; but preferably springs 44-44 of suitable tension characteristics are chosen for this purpose. If adjustment is wanted, it may be provided as shown in Fig. 17 wherein the end of the spring 44 is hooked through the eye of an eye-bolt 48, the shank of which extends loosely through a perforation in the flange 45 and has an adjusting nut 49 thereon.

To connect the inner end of the spring 44 to the strip 43, the means shown in Fig. 3 may be employed comprising a loop 50 formed on the end of the strip having 'a pin 5| thereinand the hook end of the spring being inserted through a perforation in the loop inwardly of the pin 5|. As in the case of the straps 25 and 26 a plurality of strips 43 is provided to avoid accident in case of the breakage of one strip or another.

The operation of the oscillatory mechanism just described may be best understood by reference to Figs. 6 to 14 inclusive, in connection with Fig. 3. When the shaft I3 is oscillated (see Fig. 3) the side portions 4| of the shaft will be rotated into engagement with the strips 43-43 and as shown generally in Figs. 7 and 8 will bend the strips and tension the springs 44-44. The springs 44 will then contract and aid the force applied to the shaft |3 by the corresponding pedal and will cause the shaft to be rotated in the other direction causing the other sides of the side portion 4| of the loop to engage the strips and again tension the springs. Thus, as stated above, when the shaft is rotated in either direction by the pedals, its movement in said direction which tends to be maintained by the fly wheels |4-|4, is gradually stopped and the energy of the fly wheels is stored up in the springs 44-44 and when the shaft is rotated in the reverse direction by the pedal. the energy stored in the springs acts to turn the shaft in said other direction. In each direction of rotation, the shaft is stopped by the springs 44-44 and started again partly by the force in the springs so that the shaft is given a natural periodicity of oscillatory movement.

Referring to Fig. 9, the beater I0 is in its most forward beating position and the fly wheel I4 is moving in the direction of the arrow and the pedal 3|] is moving downward as shown in Fig. 12, the pedal 3| being moved upwardly, the divided shaft portion 40 being in the intermediate posi tion Fig. 6.

As the fly wheel |4 continues to move to the successive positions of Figs. 10 and 11, the pedals take up the successive positions of Figs. 13 and 14 and the shaft portion 40 moves successively to the positions of Figs. '7 and 8 wherein, as shown, the sides 4| of the portion 40 engage the opposite sides of the strips 43 bending it into Z-form and putting tension in the springs 44-44. The fly wheels are brought to rest, as shown in Fig. 11, with the beater ID in its rearmost position and at that point has come to rest and reverses and goes in the other direction back to the position of Fig. 9 and repeats the above cycle with the connecting rod I9 below the center of the shaft instead of above it, as just described, the portion 40 again engaging the strip 43 in the reverse di rection of motion and so on.

When the side portions 4|-4| of portion 43 are cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 3, there is a tendency for them to slap the strips 43-43 with a sharp sound and when this is not desirable, the side portions of the loop may be formed as shown at 4|A in Fig. 15. When formed in this manner, the side portions engage the strip at a point nearer the axis of rotation where the speed is less and consequently the engagement is silent. In the embodiment of my invention in Figs. 1 to 1'7, the shaft I3 is oscillated as stated by the pedals 33 and 3| through straps 25 and 26 wound on drums 2| and 22 on the shaft, the power being supplied by the feet of the operator. In the form illus' trated in Fig. 16, the arrangement is simpler, the pedals and levers 28 and 29 and straps 25 and 25, drums, etc., are omitted. In this form, the weaver supplies the power for the motion of the beater by hand applying the force directly to the beater shown generally at 8 to move it forwardly and backwardly more in the usual manner, with the simpler hand operated looms.

This movement is communicated through connecting rods 19 to the fly wheels |4-|4 and the shaft I3 is oscillated thereby. By means of the shaft portion 40 and its side portions ll-4| engaging strips 43-43 tensioned by springs 44-44, this movement is controlled and rendered rythmical by the operation of these parts described above in connection with the first form.

It will be observed that in either of the forms of Fig. 2 or 16, upon oscillation'of the shaft E3 in each direction, the beater makes a complete stroke from a rearward position forwardly to the fell beating position and then back again to the rearward position, and that the springs bring the oscillatory shaft 13 and the beater 8 to rest, stopping it at the end of each oscillation with the beater in the rearward position and then reacts in the direction to move the beater forwardly to ward the fell.

Although I have shown and described preferred forms of my invention I contemplate that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom, a reciprocable beater, an oscillatable element connected to the beater, operable means to oscillate the oscillatable element to effect periodic movement of the beater first toward the fell and then in the return direction from the fell, upon oscillation of the oscillatable element in each direction, resilient means connected to said oscillatable element for accumulating energy on each movement of the beater in the return direction and then reacting to help move the beater in the next forward movement thereof.

2. In a loom, a reciprocable beater, an oscillatable element connected to the beater, operable means to oscillate the oscillatable element to effect periodic movement of the beater first toward the fell and then in the return direction from the fell upon oscillation of the oscillatable element in each direction, resilient means engageable with said oscillatable element for re-- sisting each movement of the beater in the return direction and then reacting to help move the beater in the next forward movement thereof.

3. In a loom, a main frame, a beater forwardly and rearwardly reciprocable on the frame, an oscillatable element supported on the frame, a connection between the oscillatable element and the beater whereby upon oscillation of the oscillatable element in each direction the beater is moved forwardly and then rearwardly, a spring periodically coupled with said oscillatable element and arranged to be stressed in the latter part of each movement of the beater and stopping its movement and then reacting in the direction to move the beater in the forward direction, and operable means to oscillate the oscillatable element.

4. The construction described in claim 3 and in which the oscillatable element has substantial weight and energy is accumulated therein by the operable means and by the spring upon forward movement of the beater.

5. The construction described in claim 3 and in which the operable means oscillates the oscillatable element by power applied thereto.

6. The construction described in claim 3 and in which the operable means oscillates the oscillatable element by power applied to the beater.

'7. A beater control mechanism for looms of the type comprising a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocable beater, an oscillatable element, a connecting rod connecting the oscillatable element and the beater to cause the beater to reciprocate forwardly and then rearwardly when the oscillatable element oscillates in each direction, a flexible strip element and resilient means maintaining it under tension, an abutment on the oscillatable element movable in each direction of oscillation thereof into engagement with the strip element to flex it and stress the resilient means and stop the oscillatory movement and reacting in the direction of the reverse oscillatory movement, and operable means to effect oscillatory movement of the oscillatable element and the beater.

8. A beater control mechanism for looms of the type comprising a, forwardly and rearwardly reciprocable beater, an oscillatable element, a connecting rod connecting the oscillatable element and the beater to cause the beater to reciprocate forwardly and then rearwardly when the oscillatable element oscillates in each direction, a flexible strip element and resilient means maintaining it under tension, an abutment on the oscillatable element movable in each direction of oscillation and, during rearward reciprocatory movement of the beater, into engagement with the strip element to flex it and stress the resilient means and stop the oscillatory movement and beater rearward movement and reacting in the direction of and aiding the reverse movement of the oscillatory element and forward movement of the beater, and operable means to effect oscillatory movement of the oscillatable element and beater.

9. The construction described in claim '7 and in which the said operable means comprises means to apply periodic impulses of force in alternate directions to the oscillatory element.

10. The construction described in claim '7 and in which said operable means comprises means by which the beater may be operatively reciprocated.

11. The construction described in claim 8 and in which said operable means comprises a pair of pedals, levers rockable thereby, strips connected to the levers respectively and wound in opposite directions on drums respectively on the oscillatory element.

12. A beater control mechanism for looms of the type comprising a forwardly and rearwardly reciprocable beater, a main frame, a shaft oscillatably supported on the frame, an oscillatable inertia element on the shaft, a connecting rod connecting the shaft and beater whereby upon oscillation of the shaft in each direction the beater is moved forwardly and then rearwardly, a pair of abutments supported by the shaft extending longitudinally thereof and spaced radially therefrom, a strip element extending between the abutments, spring means tensioning the strip element, the abutments engaging opposite sides of the strap element upon oscillation of the shaft in either direction and flexing the strip and stressing the spring, the parts being arranged so that the spring is stressed during return reciprocation of the beater, and means operable by a weaver at the loom to supply periodic impulses of force to the oscillatable shaft in alternate directions to oscillate it.

13. The mechanism described in claim 12 and in which the operable means comprises a pair of levers pivoted between their ends, a pedal on each lever at one end portion, a strap secured to each lever at the other end portion, drums on the shaft and the straps being wound on the drums, in opposite directions.

14. The mechanism described in claim 12 and in which the operable means comprises means by which the weaver may apply periodic reciprocating forces to the beater.

15. In a loom, an oscillatable shaft, an abutment on said shaft means for transmitting an oscillating movement to the shaft, energy storage means suspended in the path of said abutment whereby energy stored upon movement of the abutment in a given direction aids the movement of the abutment in the reverse direction.

16. In a loom, an oscillatable beater, an oscillatable shaft operably connected to the beater whereby the beater and shaft may be concurrently actuated, and energy storage means associated with the shaft whereby oscillatable movement of the shaft in either direction stores energy which is used in aiding movement of the shaft in a reverse direction.

17. In a loom, an oscillatable shaft having abutments spaced from the shaft axis on opposite sides thereof, means for transmitting an oscillating movement to the shaft, and energy storage means associated with the shaft, comprising resilient means intermediate the abutments and alternately engageable by the abutments whereby energy is accumulated by movement of the shaft in either direction and is given up to aid movement of the shaft in a reverse direction.

18. In a loom, an oscillatable element having an abutment spaced from the axis of oscillation, means for transmitting an oscillating movement to the element and energy storage means associated with the element comprising resilient means engageable by the abutment, whereby energy accumulated by movement of the element in a given direction will be given up to aid movement of the element in a reverse direction.

19. In a loom, an oscillatable shaft having an abutment spaced fromthe shaft axis, means for transmitting an oscillatory movement to the shaft, an energy storage means associated with the shaft, comprising resilient means adjacent the abutment and engageable by the abutment whereby energy accumulated in the storage means upon movement of the shaft in one direction will be given up to aid movement of the shaft in a reverse direction.

20. In a loom, a beater, oscillatory means cooperating with said beater, means to oscillate said oscillatory means to effect periodic movement of said beater, and means engageable with said oscillatory means in each direction of movement and accumulating energy on each movement of the beater in one direction and then reacting to move the beater in the opposite direction.

21. In a loom, a beater, oscillatory means connected to said beater, means to oscillate said oscillatory means to effect periodic movement of said heater, and yieldable means intermittently engageable with said oscillatory means in each direction of movement and accumulating energy on each movement of the beater in one direction and then reacting to move the beater in the opposite direction.

22. In a loom, a beater, oscillatory means connected to said beater, operable means to oscillate and oscillatory means to effect periodic movement of said beater, and resilient means engageable by said oscillatory means in each direction of movement for accumulating energy on each movement of the beater in one direction and then cooperating with said operable means to move the beater in the opposite direction.

23. In a loom, a beater, an oscillatory element connected to said heater, operable means to oscillate said oscillatory element to effect movement of said beater, an abutment on said oscillatory element, and means cooperating with said operable means to move said beater comprising a pair of springs and a connecting element between said springs, said connecting element being periodically engageable with said abutment to alternately tension each of said springs.

24. In a loom, a reciprocable beater, a periodically movable means connected to the beater, operable means for transmitting power to the movable means to effect periodic movement of the beater in opposite directions, yieldable means engageable by the movable means upon movement of the beater in each direction from a midposition for accumulating energy upon continued movement of the beater in a given direction from its mid-position and reacting to give up energy to move the beater in the reverse direction.

25. In a loom, a reciprocable beater, a periodically movable means connected to the beater, operable means for periodically transmitting power to the movable means to effect periodic reciprocation of the beater toward and from the fell, yieldable means periodically engageable with said movable means for opposing movement of the beater in each direction of reciprocation and accumulating energy upon movement of the beater from its mid-position away from the fell and reacting to give up energy to move the beater in a return reciprocation toward the fell.

D. C. CHURCHILL. 

